cmm.sedici
New member
Hi, just thought i'd share what i've just done on my Sedici.
I wanted to be able to charge my phone whilst i'm driving as I use it as my satnav and often do long calls. I can't use the cigarette lighter because i've got a Griffin iTrip in there, plus i mount my phone on a RAM mount to the right of the steering wheel.
Essentially what i've done is parallel off the cigarette lighter feed, attached a Belkin Micro USB and run a micro usb cable behind the dash and up to my phone.
Here's how I did it.....
....remember to take the keys out the car so there's no power to anything....
1. remove panel underneath steering wheel. There are two screws underneath and then it pops out when you pull it.
2. Pop up the trim next to the air vent and feed in some chase wire/string. I used telephone wire. Careful when popping up the trim because it marks easily (like the boot lining). I used a plastic bike tyre lever.
3. Attach the USB cable (that you will connect to your phone) to the chase wire a few inches from the end. Don't attach it at the end otherwise it won't fit through the hole next to the vent.
4. Pull the USB cable through to an appropriate length, remove the chase wire and push the trim back down.
5. To store the cable i'm threading it into the side air vent. Looks tidy enough.
6. Route the USB cable behind the centre storage area and leave on other side. Make sure it's away from any moving parts like the steering rack adjustment.
7. Next I took a Belkin Micro USB thingy that I got for a tenner and taped it into a cigarette lighter shell (that I had lying around). I may have used a bit too much insulation tape....
8. Reach around the back of the centre panel and pull out the socket that attaches to the main cigarette lighter. Attach two pieces of wire to the back of it and attach these wires to the new Belkin/cigarettelighter/insulationtape mutant in a parallel config. How you do this is up to you and depends on how neat you want to be. I prepared two wires with crocodile clip ends so I can remove later if I want to.
9. Test the connection. Turn the car key to the first notch and see if the Belkin green light turns on. If it doesn't then check your wiring.
10. Plug the cigarette lighter socket back into the back of the main cigarette lighter. This was an absolute git to do and my hand now looks like i've been self-harming but I got there in the end. It'll either take you 20 seconds or 20 minutes. It took me 20 minutes! Picture below shows a photo I took blindly to see where the socket was.
11. Once that's done plug in the USB cable to the Belkin socket and you're done.
I'm amazed I actually managed to do it without electrocuting myself or blowing something up, plus it's quite a tidy solution, at face value! There's the possibility of plugging in a USB hub and sending USB cables either to the glove box or to the centre console where the 4x4 switch is. Won't bother for now because I don't need it and I don't want to put too much load on my crappy wiring!
I'm going to get another Belkin USB thingy to put into the back of the car. The blurb says that it fits flush in a cigarette lighter socket but it doesn't so i'm going to have to fashion something to make it look smart in the back. The wiring is already there behind the panel on the right. Will post about that when I do it.
Let me know if any of you try it! I can send through full res photos if you want them.
I wanted to be able to charge my phone whilst i'm driving as I use it as my satnav and often do long calls. I can't use the cigarette lighter because i've got a Griffin iTrip in there, plus i mount my phone on a RAM mount to the right of the steering wheel.
Essentially what i've done is parallel off the cigarette lighter feed, attached a Belkin Micro USB and run a micro usb cable behind the dash and up to my phone.
Here's how I did it.....
....remember to take the keys out the car so there's no power to anything....
1. remove panel underneath steering wheel. There are two screws underneath and then it pops out when you pull it.
2. Pop up the trim next to the air vent and feed in some chase wire/string. I used telephone wire. Careful when popping up the trim because it marks easily (like the boot lining). I used a plastic bike tyre lever.
3. Attach the USB cable (that you will connect to your phone) to the chase wire a few inches from the end. Don't attach it at the end otherwise it won't fit through the hole next to the vent.
4. Pull the USB cable through to an appropriate length, remove the chase wire and push the trim back down.
5. To store the cable i'm threading it into the side air vent. Looks tidy enough.
6. Route the USB cable behind the centre storage area and leave on other side. Make sure it's away from any moving parts like the steering rack adjustment.
7. Next I took a Belkin Micro USB thingy that I got for a tenner and taped it into a cigarette lighter shell (that I had lying around). I may have used a bit too much insulation tape....
8. Reach around the back of the centre panel and pull out the socket that attaches to the main cigarette lighter. Attach two pieces of wire to the back of it and attach these wires to the new Belkin/cigarettelighter/insulationtape mutant in a parallel config. How you do this is up to you and depends on how neat you want to be. I prepared two wires with crocodile clip ends so I can remove later if I want to.
9. Test the connection. Turn the car key to the first notch and see if the Belkin green light turns on. If it doesn't then check your wiring.
10. Plug the cigarette lighter socket back into the back of the main cigarette lighter. This was an absolute git to do and my hand now looks like i've been self-harming but I got there in the end. It'll either take you 20 seconds or 20 minutes. It took me 20 minutes! Picture below shows a photo I took blindly to see where the socket was.
11. Once that's done plug in the USB cable to the Belkin socket and you're done.
I'm amazed I actually managed to do it without electrocuting myself or blowing something up, plus it's quite a tidy solution, at face value! There's the possibility of plugging in a USB hub and sending USB cables either to the glove box or to the centre console where the 4x4 switch is. Won't bother for now because I don't need it and I don't want to put too much load on my crappy wiring!
I'm going to get another Belkin USB thingy to put into the back of the car. The blurb says that it fits flush in a cigarette lighter socket but it doesn't so i'm going to have to fashion something to make it look smart in the back. The wiring is already there behind the panel on the right. Will post about that when I do it.
Let me know if any of you try it! I can send through full res photos if you want them.
